Sheet-separating apparatus



April 25, 1933. su. FlNN 1,905,835

SHEET SEPARATING APPARATUS April 25, 1933.

S. J. FINN SHEET SEPARATING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 5. '1928, 5Sheets-Sheet 2 April 25, 1933. 5 1 FlNN 1,905,835

SHEET SEPARATING APPARATUS Filed Dec,A 5, 1928 s sheets-sheet :s

Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES.

SIDNEY J. FINN, F BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASS-IGNOR TO UNITED SHOEMACHIN- ERY CORPORATION, 0F FATE-BSCN, NEW JERSEY, A. CGRPORATION 0F NEWJ' SHEET-SEPARATIN-G APPARATS Appneetienm'ea December 5, 192e. serialne. 323,909.

This i-nvention relates to apparatus for separating adhering sheetsof'mate-rial, aparticularly useful application being found incon-nection With rubberized insoles for shoes, to which in-soles areattached protective sheets Of paper. In'producing suchWorlt-pi'eces, astack of sheets of insole-material, separated from one another' bysheets of paper 'tol prevent them from sticking together, are subjectedto the action of al dieing-out apparatus, each die cuttingsimultaneously' a plurality of insoles. Each of the cut insol'esordinarily bears upon its coated face a cut paper piece, and this nrustbe removed before the insole is utilized. This separating operation, asit has been performed manually, consumes considerable time, since theadhesion is strong, especially at the edges, Where the die forced thesheets together in making the cut. An object of my invention is toprovide improved mechanism by which the effective separation of adheringsheets may be performed much more speedily than Whendone by hand.

For the attainment of the above object, my improved separating apparatushas a novel organization of opposite movable members, these preferablyrotating, each provided with a portion arranged to enter and separateadjacent sheets, as the insole and the attached paper. As hereinillustrated, each member is in the form of a roll, While sheet-engagingprojections are furnished by fingers which are hooked and are movable inthe roll. An abutment against which each roll operates is, in thepresent embodiment of the invention, furnished by the companion roll.The ngers are projected through openings in the rolls, as they approachthe bite of said rolls, or the opposite abutment member, this being toengage and separate the material from the associated layer, and areWithdrawn as they travel from this roll or abutment member to releasethe separated layer. This movement of the fingers may be eifected byeccentric means. Preferably the ngers act against yieldable material,this being shown as provided by belts extending about and to one side ofthe opposite roll. These belts not only facilitate the entrance of thefingers into the sheets by virtue of the'yield, but also', by-theirrelation to the roll, stripY or deflect the sheets there-from. I havefound that the action of the fingers is most certain When their hookedends ar-e turned rearwardly, or in adirection opposite to that in whichthey revolve. To facilitatey penetration ofthe slreet-i-nate-rial by thefingers, it is thrust to- Wa-rd them, as by advancing it at a rategreater than that at Which the entering ends travel. The advancing meansmay also act to loosen thematerial in preparation for its separation.For this purpose, I have illustrated corrugated rolls, `vvhich bend thesheets. This loosening is most 'complete When the sheets are bent indirections substantially at right angles to each other, as by rollslongitudinally and circumferentially corrugated. SinceY the'protectivesheets are commonly coated With paraiiin or some other Wax, theloosening of these from the sheets of stock is further facilitated, ormay be Wholly effected, by heating'means which cooperates with theseparating means; I have shown lmembers associated with one of thesepa-rating rolls and situated at different horizontal levels, toreceive separated sheets, While between the receiving members, andcooperating with the roll,- is a guide member, which assists indirecting theV sheetsinI their delivery.

One of the many forms which my invention may assume is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, 5 Y

Fig. l showing the apparatus in side ele vation;v

Fig. 2 being a longitudinal `vertical section; f

Fig. 3 illustrating 'the separating rolls in side elevation, with partsbroken away;

Fig. 4l being a partial transversesection through one of the rolls; and

Fig. 5, a. perspective vieW of the Work to be operated upon. i

Upon the opposite sides of a. frame 10 are rotatably mounted the moreessential elements of the apparatus. First, there is a horizontalfeed-table 12 projecting from one extremity of the frame7 this beingfollowed by a pair of feed-rolls 14, 14; turning about horizontal axes.The journals 15 of the lower roll rotate in fixed bearings, while thebearings of the upper roll are yieldable, there being springs 16surrounding rods 18 rising from the bearing-blocks and being interposedbetween said blocks and a cross-bar of the frame. The rods movcvertically through openings in these bars. Both rolls 14 are shown as'having hollow shafts 15 within which are heating units 17, preferablyelectrical and supplied with current through conduc-tors 19. The effectof the heat upon the work passing between the rolls will hereinafter beexpained. Following the rolls 14 is a. pair of rolls 20, 20, which arelongitudinally corrugated, having intermeshing proj ections 22. Theserolls, by alternately bending the sheets in opposite directions, havingthe effect of slipping the layers over each other, so they becomeloosened. These loosening rolls are ournaled similarly to the feedrolls,except that their bearing rods carry nuts 24 upon their threaded ends.This arrangement permits the spacing between the rolls of the pair to bevaried, thus producing depressions of different depths in the material,and consequently different loosening effects. From the rolls 20', theadvancing sheet-material enters between rolls 26, 26 provided withcircumferential corrugations 28. These bend the sheets in a direction atright angles to the depressions made by the rolls 22, very effectivelycompleting'their preliminary separation. The mounting-of the rolls 26may be identical with that ofthe rolls 20. Power may be applied to theshaft of the lower vroll 26 through a pulley 36. A train of gearing 32,including intermediate idlers, communicates rotation to the lower rolls20 and 14, and pairs of gears 34 turn the upper rolls of allpairsoppositely to the lower rolls. The effect throughout is to advance thework from the table 12. rlhe teeth of the gears 84 are of such length asto permit the adjustment ofthe upper rolls without destroying the properworking engagement. l

From the feeding and loosening section of the apparatus, the material isdelivered to means for fully separating the adjacent layers from eachother. Here, an apron 36 guides the work to a pair of horizontallyjournaled upper and lower rolls 38 and 40.

Structurally, these may be the same, consist- Y ing of heads 42 joinedby peripheral -bars 44 spaced from one another to leave longitudinalopenings 46. The rolls are rotatablein opposite directions aboutstub-shafts 48, those for the lowerv roll being fixed in the frame,while those for the upper are arranged to yield vertically, as in thepreceding roll-pairs. Gearing 50 connects the roll 40 to the gear-train32, this roll 40 being geared to its companion roll at 52. The outerdiameters of the rolls 26 and of the rolls 38, 40 are such that thekformer turn at a greater peripheral speed. The reason for this will bedeveloped lat-er. Journaled in the inner ends of each pair of shafts 48,cccentrically with respect to the heads 42, is a. shaft 5-ltoothed at 56over the peripliery of the portion between its reduced ends. Supportedby `and compelled to turn with the shaft arc separating fingers 58 withenlargements 6() complementally toothed to engage the shaft 54. TheirLouter extremities extend into the openings 46 and are hooked at 62,being turned in a direction opposite to the rotation of the roll. rlherolls 38 and 40 and the shafts 54 are compelled to turn tog-ether byplates 68 keyed tothe shafts near one of the heads ofeach roll vandhaving peripheral projections entering the corresponding spaces 46. Theprojections so fit within the spaces that the fingers 58 are relieved ofany substantial pressure against the walls ofthe openings. Theeccentricity between the rolls and the shafts 54 is such as to cause theperiphery of each roll and its associated fingers simultaneously tofollow, respectively, the paths indicated at a and b in Fig. 4 of thedrawings. hisleads tothe alternate projection of the hooked ends of thefingers through the openings and their withdrawal to points between thebars. The first movement occurs as the fingers approach the bite of therolls, continuing during thc separating action and being at a maximumwhen the fingers occupy substantially vertical positions, thisbeingfollowed by their retraction as they separate from they horizontalline of feed. rlhe fingers are arranged in helical series about theentire peripheries of the rolls, those which succeed one another alongthe shafts operating in successive spaces circuniferentially of therolls. The series of fingers isinterrupted longitudinally of each rollby circumferential depressions 64 in the bars 44, in which depressionsrun endless belts V66 of some such yieldable material. as rubber. Thesedepressions and belts are gered upon each roll with respect to those ofthe opposite roll, thus causing the hooked ends of each of the dividedor secondary series of fingers to register with and operate. against ayieldable surface. The belts upon` the roll 38 pass over alined groovesin a roll 68 ljournaled upon arms'() projecting forwardly and upwardlyfrom the frame 10.

l Aprefer to construct the arms insections' connected by screws 72passing through slots, this allowing the roll 68 to be separated fromthe roll 38 and the belts 66 correspondingly tightened. Journaled in thearms 70,/ or in brackets secured thereto, is a roll 74, which may be ofrubber. This roll forms, with the adjacent surfaces of the belts, athroat in which may be received sheets of paper sometimes found stickingto the uncoated sides of the work, while the insole-pieces themselvesare deflected below the roll. Rotation of the roll is produced by itsyielding contact with the belts. From the lower side of the frame dependbrackets 76 held in place by slotandscrew connections 78. A grooved roll8O is journaled in the brackets and guides the belts 66 of the roll 40.Here, the tension of the'belts is controlled by adjustment of thebrackets 78 along therframe. Adjacent tothe lower forward side oftheroll 40 is shown a small roll 82 similar to the upper roll 7 and rotatedin the same manner. By this roll 82', the paper separated from the underside of the work is maintained for a time in contact with the roll 40and directed in the desired path. Preferably somewhat above the bite ofthe rolls 38, 40 is a horizontal receiving member, as a conveyor 84, forthe work-pieces operated upon. Beneath the frame, a container 86 may beplaced to receive the protective layers carried by the coated sides ofthese pieces. At 88, just above the roll 74, appears a table, upon whichmay be deposited protective pieces adheringl to the opposite sides ofthe work-pieces.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated an example of the adhering sheets of materialwhich my apparatus is adapted to separate. These consist of a work-pieceS, in the form of an insole, while a protective piece s of paraflinpaperadheres to its under, coated side. In subjecting this assembly to theaction of the hereinbefore described apparatus, the insole is laid uponthe table 12 with the paper piece downward, andis forced forward, endfirst, between the rolls 14, 14, which with the succeeding rotatablemembers turn in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 2. The heat to whichthe work is subjected by the units 17 in the rolls 14 renders thecoating of the papers more or less fluid, greatly decreasing itsadhesion to the insoles S. The work is then advanced tothelongitudinally vcorrugated rolls 20, which apply to it a successionof transverse bending actions, this having a tendency to further reducethe adhesion and ldisplace the pieces relatively to each other. From therolls 20, the now partially separated sheets enter the circumferentiallycorrugated rolls 26. Here, an action similar to that just describedtakes place, except at.

right angles thereto. The insole, with the paper now thoroughlyloosen-ed, travels, under the influence of the rolls 26, across theapron 36 and between the rolls 38 and 40. At this point, the hookedportions 62 of the fingers 58 are projecting beyond the peripheries ofthe rolls and are revolving more slowly than the advancing materialtravels. This is consequently buckled transversely and forced againstthe hooks, those of the roll 38 entering the insole, while those of theroll 40 penetrate the paper. Because of the helical arrangement of theseries of fingers, the sheets always find a plurality of the hooks atthe biteready to penetrate them. The engagement .of these hooks with thelayers isperfected by t-he pressure of the linger-ends against theyieldable material of the belts 66. As thev pieces passbeyond the rolls38,

40, the hooks raise .the insole S and draw down the paper s, retainingand thus sepader side preventing said sole from being car- `ried up bythe paper from which it hangs.

The sole thenfalls upon the conveyor 84, which may deliver it directlyfor an operation 'upon it, as to` a cementing mach-ine. rllhe paper iscarried down not only by the hooks, but by the attractive forcegenerated by static electricity in the belts,` and enters betweenvtherolls 40 and 82, being directed by the latter toward the container 86.The weight of the paper may break the adhesion to the belt 66 before theroll 8O is reached. If not, the change of direction at said roll permitsits weight to exert a snlhcient separating action, whereupon it fallsand is received by the container. Sometimes insoles come to theapparatus with paper upon the uncoated as well as upon the coated side.In this case, the hooks of the roll 38 leave `the insole before they dothis upper layer of paper, so that the latteris retained longer incontact with the roll and is also held, as already `pointed. out inconnection with the roll 40, by the static charge upon-the associatedbelts. This keeps the paper in Contact with the belts sufficiently tobring its upper end abovethe roll 74, which guide it above the 'table88, upon which it falls, be-

cause of its weight, before it passes over' the Y roll 68.

Having described my invention, whatA I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the VUnitedStates is:

l. In a sheet-separating apparatus, cooperating rolls arranged toreceive between them adhering sheets, and sheet-separating projectionscarried by each roll and extending` in a series about theentireperiphery.

2. In a sheet-separating apparatus, cooperati-ng rolls arranged toreceive between them adhering sheets, and sheet-engaging hooks carriedby each roll.

8. In asheet-separating apparatus, a rotatable member provided with aportion arranged to engage and separate a sheetV of material from anadjacent sheet, means for moving the engaging portion upon the memberduring the separating action, and means for retaining the adjacent sheetmovement with the engaged sheet.

4. In asbest-separating apparatus, opposite against lfso jections and anabutment member cooperating with the roll. Y

6. In a sheet-separating apparatus, opposite rotatable rolls,sheet-engaging projections mounted upon the rolls, and means actingsimultaneously upon the projections of the rolls for moving theprojections of each of said rolls toward and lromthe opposite roll.

7. In a sheet-separating apparatus, an

abutment member, a movable roll cooperating with the abutment member andhaving openings, sheet-engaging lingers operatingin the openings, andmeans made eil'ective during the movement of the roll for causing theprojection and withdrawal of the lingers through the openings.

8. In a sheet-separating apparatus, an abutment member, a movable rollcooperating with the abutment member and having openings, sheet engaginglingers having hooked ends operating in the openings, and means orprojecting and withdrawing the hooked ends through the openings.

9. In a sheet-separating apparatus, an abutment member, a movable rollcooperating with the abutment member andY having openings,sheet-engaging lingers operating inthe openings, and means forprojecting the iningers throughtheopenings as they approach the abutmentmember and for withdrawing said fingers as they retreat from theabutment member.

10. In a sheet-separating apparatus, op posite rotatable rolls eachhaving openings, sheet-engaging lingers operating in the openings, andmeans for projecting and withdrawing the lingers simultaneously throughopenings in both rolls.

11. In a sheet-separating apparatus, a rotatable roll having openings,sheet-engaging lingers operating in the openings, and eccentric meansfor moving the lingers through the openings. j

l2. In a sheet-separating apparatus, a rotatable roll having openings,sheet-engaging lingers operating in the openings, a support for thelingers rotatable within the roll, and bearings for the roll and supporteccentric with respect to each other.

13. In a sheet-separating apparatus, a rotatable roll having openings, asheet-engaging lingers operating in the openings, a supportlor thelingers rotatablewithin the roll, and a bearing member provided with anexterior surface upon which the roll turns and with an opening toreceive the linger-support, said opening being eccentric to the exteriorbearing-surface.

la. In a sheet-separating apparatus, an abutment member, and a rotatableroll cooperating with the abutment member and having sheet-engagingprojections arranged in a helix at its periphery.

l5. In a sheet-separating apparatus, an abutment member, a rotatableroll cooperating with the abutment member and having lingers arranged ina helix at its periphery, and means for rendering said fingerssuccessively ellective along the roll for engagement with the sheets.

16. In a sheet-separating apparatus, an abutment member, a rotatableroll cooperating with the abutment member and having openings in itsperiphery, sheetengaging hooks arranged helically about the axis of theroll and operating in the openings, and means for moving the hooksthrough the openings su icessively along the helix.

I7. In a sheet-separating apparatus, oppov rotatable Y rolls, andsheet-engaging ingers arranged in a helix about each roll.

I8. In sheet-separating apparatus, opposite rotatable rolls, each havingopenings in its periph-ery, sheet-engaging lingers arranged helicallyabout the axis of each roll and operating in the openings, and means forprojecting the fingers through the openings successively along the helixat the bite of the rolls and for withdrawing the fingers as they leavethe bite. 19. In a sheet-separating apparatus, an abutment member, arotatable roll cooperating with the abutment member, a shaft extendingthrough the roll and provided with teeth, and sheet-engaging lingersWith portions surroun'ding the shaft and having teeth tor engagementtherewith.

20. In a sheet-separating apparatus, a

revoluble sheet-separating linger, and a yield-j able member againstwhich the finger operates in separating the sheets.

21. In a sheetseparating apparatus, a rotatable roll, sheet-engagingprojections carried by the roll, an opposite rotatable roll, and ayieldable member extending about the roll and cooperating with theprojections.

2Q.. In a sheet-separating apparatus, opposite rotatable rolls, seriesof sheet-engaging lingers carried by the rolls, and yieldable materialcarried by the opposite roll in engagement with each series of lingers.

Q3. In a sheet-separating apparatus, opposite rotatable rolls, series ofsheet-engaging fingers carried by the rolls, each series being arrangedin a helix, and yieldable material carried by the opposite roll inengagement .with each helical series.

Q4. In a sheet-separating apparatus, opposite rotatable rolls, series ofsheet-engaging lingers carried by each of the rolls, and yieldablematerial carried by the rolls between the series of fingers thereon andin registration with the series of lingers upon the opposite roll.

25. In a sheet-separating apparatus, a rotatable roll, sheet-engagingfingers Yspa-ced from one another along the roll, and an endless memberpassing about the roll between the lingers and extending to one side ofsaid roll.

26. In a sheet-separating apparatus, a rotatable roll, series ofsheet-engaging fingers spaced from one another along the roll, and abelt of yi-eldable material passing about the roll between the series offingers and eX- tending to one side of said roll.

27. In a sheet-separating apparatus, opposite rotatable rolls, series ofsheet-engaging fingers spaced from one another along each roll, thengers of one roll registering with the spaces of the other, and beltsoperating in the spaces and extending to one side of each roll.

28. In a sheet-separating apparatus, opposite rotatable rolls, series ofsheet-engaging fingers spaced from one another along each roll, thefingers of one roll registering with the spaces of the other, and beltsoperating in the spaces and extending to one side of each roll, saidbelts being of yieldable material and furnishing abutment-surfacesagainst which the iingers act.

29. In a sheet-separating apparatus, revoluble fingers constructed andarranged to penetrate the sheets, movable means for thrusting the sheetsupon the fingers, and

means for producing the thrusting movement of said means.

30. In a sheet-separating apparatus, a rotatable support, lingersmovable upon the support and constructed and arranged to penetrate thesheets, means for thrusting the sheets upon the fingers, and means formoving the ngers upon the supportto withdraw them from the sheets.

31. In a. sheet-separating apparatus, revoluble fingers constructed andarranged to penetrate the sheets, movable means for thrusting the sheetsupon the fingers during their revolution, and means 'for operating saidthrusting means.

32. In a sheet-separating apparatus, continuously revoluble fingersconstructed and arranged to penetrate the sheets, and means foradvancing the sheets into engagement with the entering ends of thelingers at a rate greater than that at which said ends travel.

33. In a. sheet-separating apparatus, revoluble sheet-engaging hooksarranged to travel with the entering ends turned rearwardly, and a pairof rolls arranged to advance the sheets against the entering ends of thehooks.

34. In a. sheet-separating apparatus, revoluble sheet-engaging hooksarranged to travel with the entering ends turned rearwardly, a

pair of rolls arranged tov advance the sheets against the entering Vendsof the hooks, and

means for moving the hooks away from the sheets.

35. In a sheet-separating apparatus, sheetcorrugating means forloosening adhering sheets from each other,` sheet-penetrating means forengaging both loosened sheets, and means for moving the engagingmeans'to separate the sheets.

36. In a sheet-separating apparatus, means for successively bendingadjacent sheets, penetrating means arranged to enter opposite sides ofadjacent sheets loosened by the bending, and means for movin-g thepenetrating means to separate the sheets. Y

37. In a sheet-separating apparatus, means for bending adheringy sheetsin directions at right angles to each other, and sheet-separating meansto which'A the bending means delivers.

38. In a. sheet-separating apparatusneans for bending adhering sheets indirections at right angles to each other, and sheet-penetrating means towhich the bending means delivers, the rate of movement of the deliveringmeans being` greater than that of the penetrating means. y

39. In a sheet-separating apparatus, corrugated rolls between which thesheets are passed, and movable sheet-engaging fingersy Vto which therolls deliver.

40. In a sheet-separating apparatus, succeeding pairs of longitudinallycorrugated and circumferentially corrugated rotatable sheet-looseningrolls, Yand movable sheetseparating fingers to which the rolls deliver.

4l. In a she-et-separating apparatus, succeeding pairs of longitudinallycorrugated and circumferentially corrugated rotatable sheet-looseningrolls, and opposite series of revoluble sheet-separating fingers towhich the rolls deliver.

42. In a sheet-separating apparatus, succeeding pairs of longitudinallycorrugated and c-ircumferentially corrugated rotatable sheet-looseningrolls, opposite rotatable separating rolls to which the loosening rollsdeliver and hooks carried by the separating rolls and arranged topenetrate the sheets.

43. In a sheet-separating apparatus, succeeding pairs of longitudinallycorrugated and circumferentially corrugated rotatable sheet-looseningrolls, opposite rotatable separating rolls to which the loosening rollsdeliver, hools carried by the separating rolls and arranged to penetratethe sheets, and means for rotating the loosening rolls to advance thesheets at a greater rate than that at which the hooks travel.

44. In a sheet-separating apparatus, a separating' roll rotatable abouta substantially horizontal axis, and members situated at differentlevels to receive separated sheets.

45. In a slieet-separating apparatus, a

separatingroll rotatable about a substantially horizontal,axis,memberssituated at different levels to receive separated sheets, anda guidemember for the sheets cooperating With the roll between the receivingmembers.

46. In a. sheet-separating apparatus, means for applying heat tothesheets, means for engaging opposite sides of the heated sheets, andmeans for movingtheengaging means in different directions to separatethe sheets and simultaneously advance the separated sheets.

47. In a sheet-separating apparatus, unitary means for bothradvaneingand applying heat to the sheets, and separating means to which theheating means advances the sheets and which continues such advance.

48. In a sheet separating apparatus, means for applying' heat to thesheets, means for bending the heated sheets, means for engaging the bentsheets, and means for moving the engaging means to separate said sheets.

V49. In a sheet-separatingapparatus, means for applying heat to thesheets, movable members penetrating' the heated sheets, and means formoving the members to seperate the sheets.v y

50. In a sheet-separating apparatus, a pair of rotatable rolls, heatingunits situated Within the rolls, and sheet-separating means receivingthe heated sheets direct-ly from the rolls.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification,

SIDNEY J. FINN.

